It’s a fascinating book for anybody who pays attention to
food and wants to eat like the locals. North America is not ignored, tamales in
Mexico to maple syrup in Canada.

Maine lobster rolls, Texas beef brisket and more make the
cut too, but nothing specifically from Wisconsin (although we’d certainly have worthy
contenders for apple pie, the all-day breakfast diner, the hot fudge sundae and
the plate lunch – all a part of this culinary lineup).

The book is one part gastronomical guide and one part
springboard for dishing about what’s missing. Cranberries are a close-to-home
example of the latter.

Almost two-thirds of the nation’s cranberries come from Wisconsin,
and this year’s supply far exceeds demand. An estimated 25 percent of the
harvest will be discarded, used as field fertilizer and animal feed.

Such a shame. The berry is more than just a pretty garnish
for Thanksgiving dinner. See how it shows up in all courses at wiscran.org.

—

Lois Trongard of Pewaukee was the winner of this year’s
Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association recipe contest. The contest theme
was cranberry quick bread.

Cranberry Almond
Quick Bread

(Makes 1 loaf)

1 ½ cups frozen cranberries

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 to 1 ½ teaspoons almond extract

2/3 cup chopped almonds (toasted, if you’d like)

¼ cup white baking pieces

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 tablespoon French vanilla liquid coffee creamer

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Rinse cranberries in cold
water; drain. Grease bottom and ½ inch up the sides of 9x5x3 loaf pan. Line
bottom of pan with waxed paper; grease. Set aside.

In large bowl, combined flour, sugar, baking powder and
salt. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.

In medium bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, melted butter and
almond extract. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until
moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in cranberries and chopped almonds.
Spoon batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly.

Bake 1 hour, 15 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted
near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes.
Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before
slicing.

Before serving, microwave white baking pieces at 50 percent
power (medium) for 1 ½ to 2 minutes, until melted and smooth, stirring once or
twice. Stir in powdered sugar and coffee creamer. If too thick, stir in
additional creamer, 1 teaspoon at a time.

Unwrap bread and drizzle with the white chocolate glaze. If
desired, sprinkle with additional toasted almonds.

—

Warrens Cranberry Festival used to organize a recipe
contest every year, and this entree from David Harper of Richland Center won
first place in 2011.

Cranberry Meatloaf
with Cranberry Glaze

(Six servings)

1 ¾ cups dried cranberries, divided

1 ½ cups ketchup, divided

1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

¼ cup cider vinegar

1 medium onion, diced

2 small carrots, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 ½ pounds ground beef

½ pound fresh seasoned ground pork

½ pound fresh ground pork

2 large eggs

¼ cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 slices white bread, cut into ¼ inch cubes

1 ½ teaspoons
salt

½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

For the glaze: Finely
chop ¾ cup dried cranberries. Combine chopped cranberries, 1 cup ketchup, 1/3
cup brown sugar and cider vinegar in a small saucepan and warm on the
stove. Do not boil. Once glaze is warm, turn off the stove and let
the pan sit on a warm burner until later use.

For the meatloaf: Place
one oven rack in the second position from the top and the other rack in the
second slot from the bottom. Preheat broiler to high. Layer aluminum
foil to cover the bottom and sides of a 9×13 inch pan. Spray with cooking
spray.

In a microwave safe bowl, combine the diced onion and diced
carrots. Cover and microwave on high for 3 minutes. Add the garlic. Continue
cooking on high for 30 seconds. Set aside to cool.

Place the meat mixture into the prepared pan and
shape into a large loaf. The loaf should measure about 4 inches high,10
inches long and 6 inches wide.

Place on the upper rack of the oven and broil for 4
minutes. Brush the top and sides of the loaf with a coat of glaze. Broil
for 3 minutes. Brush with a slightly thicker second coat of glaze
and broil for 2 minutes longer.

Move the pan of meatloaf to the bottom rack and adjust oven
temperature to 375 degrees. Bake about 50-55 minutes, or until a meat
thermometer reads 160 degrees.

Remove from oven, cover with foil and let rest about 10
minutes. Spoon off any excess fat from the pan. Brush meatloaf with a
light coat of glaze. Serve with remaining glaze as an accompaniment.

—

Here’s one way to use up those Thanksgiving leftovers. This
1999 recipe from Linda Klann, West Allis, is in the 2001 book, “Wisconsin State
Fair: 150 Award Winning Recipes” (Cookbook Publishers Inc.).

The harvest has ended for Wisconsin’s ruby-red berries, but still peacefully scenic during any season is the 50-mile Wisconsin Cranberry Highway. Follow county roads and highways 54, 173 and 13 through Wood, Juneau and Monroe counties, roughly Wisconsin Rapids to Warrens, Pittsville to Nekoosa. visitwisrapids.com/cranberry-highway

A prime stop along the self-guided route is Wisconsin Cranberry Discovery Center, in a revamped cranberry warehouse in Warrens and open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. Learn the history, heritage and production methods for the crop. Shop for products that contain cranberries; that includes berry-spiked ice cream. discovercranberries.com

—

What other close-to-home products or dishes would be good
additions to “Ultimate Eats” by Lonely Planet? Make an argument for your recommendation
and send it to me by Dec. 1 for a chance to receive a copy of this colorful hardcover
book.

Quote Of The Day

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